Upon the Wings of Freedom
by Kareigon
Summary: Maya Shinshi (ミア紳士) has hidden in the shadows for over seven years, carefully eyeing the actions of the Survey Corps. In her discovery, she finds out that one of her childhood friends is there but he isn't just a soldier, more of an idol to the rest of the squadrons. Maya's world of secrets and hiding is soon to be over as she is caught in a simple little trap.
1. Nightmares of the Past

Nightmares of the Past

 _Don't move. It will only make matters worse. The splash of a puddle and his silence, I clenched my fists angrily before wrapping my arms around me. He was in trouble, my blood boiled inside me. A ripple much like a pebble in water travelled across my skin, he had been caught by them. 'Maya, you had heard them coming while you were taking cover like he asked you to, you had the chance to tell them to back out but no, you're hiding behind a house.' My three dimensional maneuver gear hung by my hips, the straps coming across my waist and up past my shoulder, I could distract them, I could save him. Blinking down at my hands, I saw water resting on them, only then did I realise I had been sobbing. He wouldn't want me to save him, he would want me to run. Alarms were ringing in my ears, I had to escape before the Military Police realised that it wasn't a team of three that they had to deal with. I felt the cool metal of the 3DMG operating handles in my palms, it was now or never. Pressing down, I flew up into the air landing on one of the surrounding houses chimney. Looking down, I saw the brown jackets and green cloaks, I saw him and the others. That symbol seemed oddly familiar, but it wasn't the Military Police, two embroidered wings. One blue. One white. It was them. I felt my blood run cold as I saw him, face first on the floor. Levi._

 _"You bastard!"_

 _My voice echoed around the small clearing of houses, catching the attention of the officer who had his filthy hands on him and the one who stood gingerly in front. Levi's expression dropped, his silvery eyes exceptionally wide as he realised what I was doing. I stood tall, the little wind that the Underground District had pushing my long brunette hair out my face, revealing my deathly glare._

 _"Get the fuck off him."_

 _I bit my lip hard, I had to save him. They would come after me, at least I hoped. That's when I heard the familiar sound of the 3DMG behind me, I wasn't alone. I caught them without turning around, I saw the reflection in my blades, two scouts on either side of the house, waiting like eager predators. There was more than I anticipated._

 _"So it wasn't just you three, I knew it." The male who stood proudly in front of Levi looked up at me smirking. "Nice to meet you, I've already met your friends." My gaze went to Levi, then to the red-headed girl I knew so well as Isabel, then along to Levi's best companion, Farlan. The sight of them, handcuffed and at the knees of some hotshot sickened me._

 _"Erwin Smith." My words were spat out like venom at the man who had brought my friends to a stop from their mission. I knew his face well, I had come from the surface after all, I knew all about the Survey Corps but I still despised them, none the less._

 _"So you know my name. Impressive, but not impressive enough." His cocky reply made me tighten my grip on the 3DMG handles, I knew perfectly well what was coming. They had started to move beside me, I knew what I had to do._

 _Without warning, I started out into a sprint across the tiled rooftop, jumping down towards my friends. Erwin smirked at me, somehow from those eyes, I knew that he could calculate my next move. Growling, I grappled onto a house further down, spinning elegantly onto the dusty ground, just metres away from Erwin. I was surprised to see that neither of the two scouts from the rooftop had followed me down to the ground. Dust erupted from my feet as I began my journey towards Erwin, blood-lust making my fingers twitch with anticipation and my grapples retracting back into my scabbard._

 _"Smith, let them go." My eyes glared into his icy blue ones, my boots still stepping towards him, my handles heading towards my blades._

 _"Maya. I wouldn't do that if I were you."_

 _I stopped instantly, feeling like a bullet had rushed past my head, how...?_

 _"You know my name..."_

 _Erwin walked towards me, I hesitated trying to step back away from his suddenly haunting appearance and height._

 _"Of course. I know all about you four."_

 _My eyes travelled behind Erwin towards my three companions. Levi looked up from the ground, eyes boring into me like a drill. I knew he didn't want me here, he wanted to protect me. Erwin's shadow covered my face as I diverted my gaze back up to him, he was now about a metre away._

 _"Maya Shinshi, originally from the surface, previously housed in the Quinta District. Aged 20. Parents both went missing after the titans appeared about two years ago. What a shame it would be if they could see you now, a dirty little thief-"_

 _The sound of metal brought me back to my senses as I realised that in my heated anger, I had wielded two blades from out my scabbard._

 _"Don't you dare talk about my parents. They are my family now." I pointed my quivering blade to Levi, Isabel and Farlan. I met eyes with Isabel who shook her head with a disappointed gaze, I turned to Levi who had gone pale. He shook his head slightly, and I growled. A voice dragged me out of my anger fit, I thought about the situation. My three friends are in a do or die situation, and I had just thrown myself into it to try and save them. I was only small compared to them, and not only would I have Smith to deal with, but the small amount of soldiers from the Survey Corps who surrounded me. I couldn't save them, my brain registered it and just then-_

 _"Escape you brat!"_

 _Levi lunged forward from the soldier who had held him down, making Erwin turn. This is what he wanted, for me to escape._

 _"Now Maya!" Isabel screamed._

 _Using a concealed blade, I cut the cords to the left side of my 3DMG making the gas spill out into the clearing, making the whole area extremely cloudy. I ran on through the cloud, using the remaining and functioning side of my equipment to jump further away. Tears spilled from my eyes as I dealt with what Levi wanted me to do._

 _An echoing slap reverberated from where I just was. Then silence. I headed towards the clock tower which gave the best view in the entirety of the Underground District. With tears still disrupting my eyesight, I grappled into the cold grey stone, edging my way towards the top. Looking around, I saw that none of the Survey Corps had followed me, my initial plan was nothing but a mere distraction. I eventually reached the top, the clock looming behind me. My numb fingers unbuckled the belts that held up my 3DMG, making the metal contraption fall to the floor. Across the district, I could see the whole scenario clearly, Smith led my companions to the stairs which lead out of the Underground District and to the surface. Salty fluid blew off my face with the slight breeze as I tightened my fists and sat on the top of the tower, my legs hanging gently over the edge._

 _"I will not let them take you away from me."_


	2. Chase

**Chase:**

I woke with a start feeling the salty droplets soak through my shirt and drip off the leather straps which surrounded my body. It was serenity feeling the mid-summer storm fall upon my skin, clearing the filth off my arms and face. It had been 7 years since I had managed to regain my place on surface, 5 since I had managed to escape the walls. The nightmare made me shiver with guilt, my thoughts went to Levi, Isabel and Farlan who I presumed were dead. Leaves from the tree I had been sleeping in fell around the tree's gigantic frame, settling on the ground like a green carpet, reminding me of the harsh reality of the world. Titan infested, barely survivable. The metal of my 3DMG hung heavily on my hips, cutting into my porcelain skin with bearable pain. I decided to move quickly from my position, the forest was a regular scouting area for the trainees of the three regiments and being caught by any of them was bad news. Shuffling my straps around to a more comfortable position, I jumped down from the large branch, grappling to larger trees to prevent a rough journey and complications with my equipment. My instincts told me to head west, further away from the forest but that's when I saw it. A shimmer of metal hidden amongst the trees, I ignored it thinking that it was just my imagination and carried on with my journey.

The tranquil rain and the 'zipping' sound of my 3DMG grapples were the only sounds which reverberated across the forest. I elegantly forced myself to stop on the mud dominated ground, soaking my boots in the sticky substance. Something skittered across my skin, but no bug was present. I felt like I was being watched, looking up at the tree canopies I saw my worst nightmare.

Around 15 soldiers surrounded me, all perched on branches like owls, the same logo on each of their jackets and cloaks. The Scouts. I had waltzed straight into one of their training exercises. I growled my grip on the handles of my equipment tightening as I turned looking at each of the opponents individually.

"If you're planning on leaving, I advise against it."

That voice, the harshness. My head jolted behind me, my brunette hair bunches tickling my shoulders slightly.

"How lovely to see you again."

His face hadn't aged a single day, still the person I hated most.

"Erwin Smith."

Sat upon his horse, the commander of the Scouts, the person who took everything away from me. My eyes shimmered with red hazy vision, my hatred for the man blinding me partially.

"You move and all my scouts will be on you like a titan."

A growl erupted from my throat as I stood up straighter, my mouth turning into an evil smirk.

"You think these, can stop me Smith? Not even the Military Police could catch me. It would be excellent practice though."

Gasps echoed across the clearing as my challenge against this brigade was registered. Smith lifted his hand up into the air, setting them on me.

"Fine, be like that."

Hooking a spare blade from my scabbard, I flicked round launching it directly into one of the soldiers 3DMG, hitting the gas canister directly. The same trick I had used 7 years ago to escape the same regiment in the Underground District. Gas spilled out into the clearing, giving me the perfect opportunity to escape. As four more soldiers jumped down, I zoomed past them back the way I came, replacing my blades skilfully while manoeuvring around shrubbery. From the left, I saw two grapples wedge themselves into the bark of a large oak tree. Using my grapples, I launched myself forward like a catapult only to be pulled back by the grapples, confusing the two soldiers who had chased me so closely. I zoomed back past them, spinning violently and cutting their cords. Retracting my grapples back, I rolled onto the muddy floor athletically using my hand as a brake.

"Two down, thirteen more to go..."

Hearing the sprinting behind me, I grappled straight up towards the leaf covered trees, releasing the two blades sending them straight down at the soldiers. Looking down, I smirked as I saw two green cloaked girls dart away from the quickly approaching blades.

"Eleven left, stay calm Shinshi."

Jumping upwards with my fist in the air, I regained my location and pressed on North changing my tactics. The wind zoomed past my ears, the rain soothing my sweating forehead. Lifting my arms in front of me, I saw seven more soldiers behind me.

"Do you guys ever give up?" I called out, flipping my body around to taunt them. All of their faces frowned back at me, their body frames all limp from the chase, all except for one single soldier. One girl caught my eye in particular, those silver eyes and that shade of black hair. Her neck was wrapped with a scarlet coloured scarf and her body remained straight and poised, I recognised that glare. I flipped round, I had to get away, my mind locking on one single tactic that could wipe all seven soldiers out at once. My facial expression turned dark as I catapulted myself into a elegant spin, my blades cutting through tree branches launching them everywhere. I felt adrenaline pounding inside me as I came out of the move, looking at the scattering soldiers, some who were falling to the ground as their 3DMG malfunctioned from the branch debris. With only four left I could escape. Pushing my gear to its full potential, I zoomed through the forest, leaving the scouts behind, letting them rethink about challenging me again.

My legs hung off the tree branch as my chest rose erratically; escaping from the scouts had been a great practice run but had caused the gas to run low in my own equipment. I had enough to last me about 30 more minutes which meant I would have to organise another heist into the walls to gather more supplies. My boots dripped mud from the storm that had passed during the last couple of minutes of the chase. I was filthy.

"Gross..."

Just then, a rippling pain soared across my left thigh as I was pulled from the branch. My eyes shot open as I landed upon the forest floor, the wetness soaking into my clothes, hair and the mud layering my skin. I screamed out, feeling like I was being devoured by a titan from the legs down. Shaking, I lifted my head up to see that a metal grapple from a 3DMG had lodged itself around my ankle, the grapple tips cutting into my skin deeply. The grapple cord led into the darkness, I shakily grabbed a blade from my scabbard trying to find a way to slice the cord. Just as I was about to bring the blade down, I heard the shot of another grapple being fired as the blade was launched from my grasp. I panted looking around for my attacker.

"Come out of the shadows, you c-coward!" My stutter portrayed the fear that I was unaware to.

Erwin trotted out of the darkness on his horse, with a pair of handcuffs hanging from his tight grasp.

"Why would you launch the grapple into me you-?"

I paused; Erwin's 3DMG was still, no cables. Nothing.

"Who-?"

Turning my head to the left, I saw him.

That glare, the determination.

"I thought I taught you better."

My voice went hoarse.

"L-Levi?"


	3. Capture and Conversations

My arms hung heavily in front of me, I was stripped of my equipment leaving me with a barren feeling. The sharp metal of the handcuffs hung around my wrists, a sharp jolt occasionally ripping across my skin. I looked around, the scouts looked down at me from their horses, anger in the glare from their eyes. My gaze hovered to the man to the left of me, his grey eyes and black hair, Levi. How could he do this to me?

"I thought I had taught you better."

My feet dragged on the muddy ground as the heavens opened up again, raindrops pouring down each individual strand of my hair. One by the one, the scouts put up their hoods, protecting them from the watery blessing of Mother Nature. Levi remained with his hood down, harshly continuing to lead me to my destruction. The chains from my handcuffs led to his hand, and as I looked up again, he pulled the metal loops and glared.

"Stop staring you brat."

I blinked, and reluctantly pushed my head forward, only to be greeted with the gates of hell, perfectly signed off with the Wall Maria logo.

"I'm back..."

I woke up with a jolt, had it all been a nightmare? The stone bricks of the ceiling and walls proved me wrong as I turned on the stale smelling sheets crushing my head into the pillow. I'd been captured, I chuckled - It was a nightmare. Golden light trickled into my cell, some tears trickled down my cheeks as I realized my situation.

"Crying about it won't help."

My body bolted upright as Levi sat, slumped, in the corner of my cell. His shoulders hunched, one hand pressed against his forehead. I gulped, my throat dry with fear.

"Levi... I-I thought you were-"

"Dead?"

Silence filled the room as I pulled myself from the bed, my clothes crumpled from the tossing and turning I must have done during my sleep. My feet slowly walked over to him and I fell to my knees so I was closer.

"What about Isabel and Furlan?"

A reverberating smack echoed across the room as I fell backwards, Levi stood looking down at me.

"They are dead brat. Just like you should be."

I was taken aback, holding my face across the radius in which Levi had backhanded me. His words were venom which were quickly devouring me from the inside.

"W-what?" My voice choked out.

Levi came closer, pulling on the front of my shirt, lifting me up so I was closer to his face.

"You should have died down in the underground. You should have never come up to the surface again. You should have never come close to being here. You realize what they are going to do to you."

Silence.

"They'll kill you, imprison you or worse - Turn you into a scout."

Our eyes met with some dark remorse in his dark grey pools. A silent acknowledgement of the punishment of me being captured.

"L-Levi. What happened to you?" My tears couldn't be held back as I glared into his eyes, those eyes that used to be filled with such hope for us.

"I grew up. I saw my best friends die, all because of you-"

A metallic sound rattled across the cell as Erwin smirked behind the bars. My vision turned red and hazy as I pushed Levi aside and stood up.

"You bastard!" I screamed and headed towards the bars trying to grasp him from between the gaps of the cell. "I'll fucking kill you."

Levi grabbed my wrists forcing them behind me, clicking handcuffs back around them.

I continued my verbal assault.

"You took everything away from me Erwin! Fucking everything!"

Levi pushed me against the bars so I couldn't move as Erwin used his thumb and forefinger to lift up my chin.

"Maya-" Erwin began.

"Don't you dare say my name you bastard!"

"Maya Shinshi."

My name rolled off his tongue as I continued my scowling.

"We will have to change that temper of yours. It isn't good in any of the three regiments. Especially the Scouts."

My cuffed hands clenched into fists behind my back, the steel rings weighing my arms down massively, Erwin continued muttering on;

"I suppose your delightful friend told you about what I offer to you as a deal. Join the scouts Maya, or go to prison and never see Corporal Levi again, or if you wish to go out with a bang, go through with the death penalty that you should have had, back from when we first met. "

Erwin half-smirked as my face remained blank. The idea of being alone in a prison was satisfying, fighting titans with the people that I despised was acceptable but every minute would be as agonizing as each starving day that I suffered underground. The death penalty would wipe me off the face of this titan infested world, a miracle but the cowardly way to go.

"Well?"

I glared at Erwin, clearing my throat, I replied.

"I'll join the scouts. But trust me, I am not fighting until I feel that I can."

Erwin looked at me confused and scowled.

"That isn't your choice Shinshi."

I smirked and stood up straight, Levi no longer pushing me against the bars. I walked over to the bed and sat down chuckling.

"I'm not doing it for you."

Levi tensed, realizing the point I was making. He exited the cell quickly, to stand next to Erwin. I smiled and leaned back, staring at the two through the bars.

"I feel like if I go through with anything else, it will break my 'corporal' to the point of no return. He lost Isabel and Furlan because of me, what would happen if he lost the final person of his old team? He knew I was out there, he was hoping all along. Since the underground collapsed about three years ago, your little Levi soldier had this silent little wish inside him."

My voice was soft as I spoke, Levi remaining completely silent with little to no expression on his face. I continued on, waiting for the bomb inside the 5"3 corporal to explode.

"He wanted to see if I was trained enough to escape before it's fall. He wanted to see if I was weak enough to be killed or whether I was strong enough to escape without my fellow comrades. Isn't that right, Levi-Sama? But apparently I was the strongest one, since the other two died with your help-"

Levi's expression changed from uptight to irritated after my final sentence as he cut me off.

"You arrogant brat! You would have never escaped without my training." He snapped, his deathly glare now upon me. I turned to Erwin, smirking.

"See my point, the deaths of Cadet Isabel and Furlan killed a part of him. Would you want me to come straight out from this little cell and snap that little strand he has left by dying to the hands of a titan? I would have the feeling that he wouldn't want to trust you again, after all. You are also the reason that they died, Erwin."

Levi stormed out of the cell basement, the sound of a door slamming informed me that I had pressed all the right buttons.

"So Erwin. Set me up with paperwork until I feel fit to fight and I promise you, I'll be no hassle."

Erwin smiled at me, seeing my true colours.

"Only Captains, Lance Corporals and Commanders can deal with paperwork, but I'm sure I can slip you the rank of Captain knowing your skills Maya. One rank under your precious friend."

I laughed and Erwin smiled as he spoke once again.

"Persuasive aren't you Ms Shinshi."

"You haven't seen how much he is hurting underneath Erwin, I don't want to break him. After all..."

I paused, suddenly finding it difficult to swallow. Erwin unlocked the cell door and beckoned me out to my new start. Shaking slightly, I walked out the cell and straight past him.

"After all? Go on Maya."

I turned, a small smile on my face.

"After all Erwin...-

I love him."


End file.
